Here a couple more pictures of my nephew Dylans antelope.Every year I try to take my kids and my nephews and neices hunting as much as possible. The opportunity to take them on some great youth hunts is something that my wife and I feel should be taken advantage of. Some of these tags are all but impossible to draw as adults so we put the kids in evry chance we get even when it means not hunting ourselves. What could be better than watching the kids grow up learning to hunt anyway? Anyway..... Dylan applied for the youth muzzleloader antelope in 52 and was drawn. After a few months of anxious waiting we were on the road for the 10 hour drive. A couple of quick shots after we arrived on friday to double check zero and we were off to scout. Right before dark we saw a couple definite shooters in an area we have hunted in the past. We decided to be set up an hour before shooting light by a large piece of sagebrush in a travel corridor that we have taken 3 really nice bucks from before. About a 5 minutes from shooting light 4 hunters started into the small area we were set up in. A couple quick blinks of the flashlight to let them know we were hunting there and they settled in where they were leaving us plenty of space. It was really nice having someone that respected "first come first served" on a great hunting spot. In the past we have had other people set up within 50 yards even after seeing us. The action was a little slow for the first hour. A few coyotes came by and we entertained ourselves watching antelope on nearby hills. As it usually seems to work out hunting antelope when it finally happened it happened in a hurry. Our #1 buck from the night before showed up about a mile off slowly moving our way. After watching him move less than 100 yards in a half hour another hunter spooked him in our direction. He was coming hard but would pass out of range. Off to our left 3 small bucks we had been keeping an eye on were spooked and headed straight at us. The big buck turned and headed straight to the other 3 and they all stopped and milled around. After less than a minute they were loping straight at us and closing fast. Dylan was set up on the bipod by now and I was trying to keep up with my range finder. At 75 yards the bucks turned broadside at a lope. When they got to a hard quartering shot it was right at 100 yards. With about a foot of lead Dylan hammered his buck dropping him in mid stride. 2 1/2 hours into the hunt and Dylan had a great buck. The rest is history. History that Dylan will gladly repeat for anyone willing to listen! His buck ended up at 15 1/8 on both sides and 81 1/8 gross. We have several more great hunts this fall with the kids in AZ so the year is just beginning for us. Doesn't get any better than that.
